Ending the champions' 30-game unbeaten run, wrecking a 51-year-old Elland Road jinx and giving a grand old club its pride back is nothing compared to last night's latest record breaker.

Everton won a penalty shoot-out. Six simple words, which wipe away three decades of spot-kick misery.

David Moyes may not have been aware of the fact, but Everton's record in 12-yard nerve-shredders coming into this Worthington Cup third round tie was abysmal. Until last night's Worthington Cup denouement at Newcastle, that is.

The last time Everton had won one was in the European Cup - which should say it all. Bobby Robson was still a veteran player when Borussia Moen-changladbach were outwitted at Goodison Park.

The number of shoot-out failures in the 30 years since has been truly mind-numbing.

There was Crystal Palace, Bristol Rovers and Sunderland in this competition alone. Charlton in the Full Members Cup. A British Championship clash out in Dubai with Rangers and countless pre-season friendlies.

They did win one - at Wembley, of all places - but that hardly counts, given that it came at the end of a 20-minute each-way canter against Wolves in the Football League's Centenary celebrations.

Last night's undoubtedly did matter. It extended an impressive unbeaten run, kept the growing Goodison momentum rolling - and put Everton into the next round of a competition they now seriously harbour hopes of winning.

And with Newcastle United joining clubs like Arsenal, Leeds United, Tottenham and Middlesbrough in the Worthington Cup rubbish can, a favourable draw on Saturday could see them take another significant stride in that direction.

For a long time now, Evertonians haven't seriously considered winning a raffle. But such has been the massive jolt of confidence Moyes has injected into the club, their fans travelled to the daunting arena of St James' Park last night anticipating a celebration.

They got one - but only after the most enthralling, topsy-turvy tie of the round.

Everton led for more than an hour, then their hopes seemed to have gone in 60 seconds, two Kieron Dyer strikes turning the match on its head.

They equalised six minutes from the end of normal time - Geordie old-boy Steve Watson scoring - before another former Magpie, Alessandro Pistone, also scored . . . but this time past his own goalkeeper.

That was in first half extra time. In the second period Wayne Rooney seemed to have written another dramatic headline - but referee Mike Riley had obviously been listening to David Moyes' recent pleas to protect the prodigy. He ruled out his 'goal' and gave a penalty - which David Unsworth converted.

Even the penalty shoot-out was a roller-coaster ride of emotions.

Unsworth took Everton's first - and uncharacteristically saw his shot saved. When Dyer and Solano converted either side of that miss, the out-come looked a familiar one.

His strike was good, but Wright's save was stunning - and another longstanding record fell to the young Blues boss.

"What next?" asked exhausted assistant boss Alan Irvine afterwards. Well, Everton have never won this competition - and the way they are performing at the moment, who knows what is possible?

The Newcastle side they defeated was barely recognisable from the one which had defeated Middlesbrough 48 hours earlier, but it was still a significant scalp.

Only Griffin, Caldwell and Bernard survived from Monday night's starting line-up - with no Speed, Shearer or Jenas.

Having played their last match a dayand-a-half earlier, Moyes was more circumspect with his switches.

Alessandro Pistone came in for his first start of the season, handing Tony Hibbert a well-earned rest, David Weir replaced Joseph Yobo - and reclaimed the captain's armband, Gary Naysmith swapped with Mark Pembridge, and Wayne Rooney replaced Tomasz Radzinski about 75 minutes earlier than usual.

The reshuffle hardly weakened the Blues.

Deprived of the majestic Yobo's pace at the back they defended deeper, but Weir and Stubbs proved obstinate obstacles. Further forward Rooney simply showed that he can do for 120 minutes what he has been doing for 15 recently.

His performance was exceptional - and only bad luck prevented him adding another goal to his growing tally.

Campbell did add one to his on his favourite stamping ground.

He missed an excellent opening after 43 seconds, but 10 minutes later Nay-smith swung over a corner and he rose unchallenged again to guide a header past the disgusted Harper.

It was his fifth St James' Park strike in three years.

Newcastle recovered from the shock to trouble the Everton defence regular-ly, but while the Blues' reshuffled rear-guard didn't quite have the tank-trap efficiency it boasts with the majestic Yobo at its heart, it still coped well enough.

Everton's most worrying first-half moment came when Tobias Linderoth volleyed clear from the edge of his penalty area and pulled his hamstring. He trudged off immediately to be replaced by Watson, Carsley (left) moving to the middle.

For long periods Everton were pinned back after that, but Moyes' solution was typical. He took off Li Tie and threw on an extra forward.

Radzinski's impact was significant. He darted down the left and crossed for Naysmith to volley what seemed to be the clincher, only for Harper to produce a stunning reflex save.

Two minutes later Everton trailed. Dyer raced onto Viana's pass to poke past Wright, then a minute later smote a majestic strike into the top corner of the Blues' goal.

Both sides went for broke and the chances piled up. Radzinski shot into the turf and straight at Harper, Chopra lost the ball between his legs faced by an open goal - and six minutes from time Rooney arrowed down the right before pulling the ball back from the byline for Watson to hook in the equaliser.

Rooney almost claimed a winner himself in time added on. His penetrating run across the Newcastle box ended with a blistering shot which whistled inches over.

In extra time Everton looked the more likely side to score next - and they did - but Pistone's stretching header (left) was gruesomely guided past his own 'keeper.

That gave Everton 22 minutes to save the game again - and they did, with 10 minutes to spare.

Campbell dragged the ball round Harper, shot at the empty net and saw Newcastle defender Stephen Caldwell desperately palm the ball across the goal. Rooney raced in and tapped the ball over the line, but Riley had already blown.

He disallowed the 'goal,' showed Caldwell a red card and Unsworth brushed aside Rooney's attempts to claim the penalty kick and stepped up to cooly send Harper the wrong way from the spot.

Rooney's attempts to claim the responsibility simply showed the character and swagger he possesses.